


Coming Soon: Darkness on the Edge of Town

by Paige_Turner36



Series: Fics coming soon... [2]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: 4B Fix-It, Ale of Seonaidh, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anti-Hook, Episode AU: s04e12 Darkness on the Edge of Town, F/M, Frozen Wedding, Gen, Operation Mongoose, Post-Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Romance, S4-6 Belle Bashing, Sessions with Archie Hopper, Storybrooke (Once Upon a Time), True Love, angst with fluff, the Curse of the Poisoned Heart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-12
Updated: 2019-08-12
Packaged: 2020-08-13 19:42:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20179678
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paige_Turner36/pseuds/Paige_Turner36
Summary: Six Weeks Later...As the town prepares to release the fairies and the Apprentice from the Hat, darkness descends on the edge of town as Ursula and Cruella de Vil, lead by the Dark One, make ready to enter Storybrooke.





	Coming Soon: Darkness on the Edge of Town

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Grace52373](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Grace52373/gifts).

> Here are some pictures, concepts and rough script dialogue written whilst at work - the reason it may be some time before we see this.
> 
> For Grace52373 and everyone who asked for a continuance.
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own OUAT or any of the images/gifs used. This is for fun and not for profit.

_Mr Gold's House - Rumple and Belle's Bedroom_

R: (_distressed mumbling in his sleep_)

B: (_gently shaking him_) Rumple. Rumple, hey, it's okay. Wake up.

_R eyes snap open, panting, looking wildly around._

B: It's me. It's Belle. You're safe. You're here with me.

R:...I was back in Zelena's cage.

_B hugs him, R whimpers into her shoulder, trembling._

B: You will never go back there ever again. You burnt it down, remember?

R: A cage doesn't have to be walls or bars, Belle.

B: I know. But Zelena is dead. She will never come back. Was there anything else?

_R nodded shamefully._

R: I was back at the town line, with you. You commanded me to leave Storybrooke, knowing I wouldn't be able to come back. You told me I was a beast and that I had lost you for good. You banished me with nothing but the clothes on my back, without even a cane. I fell. I begged and pleased on the ground. I cried. But you were gone.

B: Oh, Rumple.

R: You left me without letting me explain myself.

B: Well, then I'm a cruel, cold-hearted bitch.

_R's shocked at her description of herself._

B: I don't like this dream-me you conjured. She sounds like a beast.

R: I love the real you better.

B: Good. Because you're stuck with me. But I am going to have to lodge a complaint, Husband Mine. Sneaking off to see other women in your dreams - Milah-me, Cora-me, Zelena-me, not-me. This can't go unpunished.

R: But I wasn't seeing other women. I was seeing you.

B: You can't have. I would never say or do such awful things. Ergo, it couldn't have been me.

_B kisses him._

B: I guess I'm going to have to stop you from dreaming.

R: But how can I -

_R loses himself in B until the dream fades into a vaguely absurd memory._

B: Better?

R: Yes. Thank you.

B: Good. Now, remember our deal: no dreaming about fake-Belle's and not-me's, or I shall have to punish you again.

R: I can't work out if that's a threat or an incentive, my darling wife.

_R and B indulge in each other, until R tenses._

B: What have I done?

R: N-nothing. Please, just... please don't hold my wrists like that.

_B, who had been holding R's wrists above his head, releases him._

B: Okay.

_They try to keep going but R can't relax, so they stop._

R: I'm sorry.

B: No, don't apologise. If you're not ready, we don't have to.

R: It's not fair on you.

B: This is nothing to do with fair. It's about consent, security, safety. If you don't feel safe, if you can't enjoy it, then we don't have sex. It's not the most important part of a relationship. Besides, there's other ways we can please each other. Your fingers can work magic that no curse could ever have taught you.

R: I'm trying to get better, Belle. I swear...

B: You will, in your own time. There's no time limit to get better. I'm not going anywhere. And need I remind you that it's been more than a year now and you're still sleeping next to a woman who has to sleep by lamplight, because every time she closes her eyes, she's afraid she's going to wake up back in the asylum or the Queen's tower. And you're already getting better. You're not bottling up your pain so much anymore. How does that make you feel?

R: Lighter.

B: And that was the hardest part. The worst is over.

_They settled down, holding each other._

R: Why won't she go away, Belle?

B: She will. Her shadow will pass.

R: (_self-disgust_) At least I didn't soil myself this time.

B: I wouldn't have cared if you had. I'm just glad you didn't have another heart attack*. What if you had - and I didn't know until -

_B whimpers. R hugs her closer._

R: I'm sorry, Belle. (_kisses the top of her head_) I'm sorry, sweetheart. You're right. Better soiled pyjamas than my dark deeds crushing my heart.

Flashback to after the town line:

Rumple and Belle make it back to Grannys to face the others. They show them the blank dagger and tell them the Dark One has been banished. Emma discovers that Hook knew all along about the fake dagger way before Rumple ripped his heart out and never told her.

Rumple offers to help them find the Author because 1) if his son's death was just a plot device, "I'd like a word with that" Regina: "I'll introduce you", 2) His heart still contains traces of the curse from centuries of dark deeds that can only be removed by the Author "or we'll have two Dark One's roaming around. And nobody wants that" and 3) he wants to make up for his part in Regina becoming the Evil Queen and that he meant it when he wanted her to be happy. But he stresses that if Regina is only seeking the Author just to force a Happy Ending for herself rather than demanded he or she stop interfering with their lives, Rumple will snap the pen himself, even if it means that he can't use it to stop the Darkness spreading.

With Regina and Emma heartbroken over their respective lovers, Rumple suggests they attend Princess Anna's wedding to Kristoff, as a pleasant distraction to the two women, to show his grandson Henry a new realm and to give Belle the opportunity to see and apologise to Anna. As a peace offering to the princesses, Rumple uses a modified dose of the Ale of Seonaidh to allow their parents and their aunts Ingrid and Helga to attend their daughter/niece's wedding. Elsa and Anna accept the gift and invite Emma, Regina, Henry, Rumple and Belle to attend.

Present Day Storybrooke Montage:

Regina leads Henry to the school bus. Mary Margaret teaches to her class again. In the Mayor office, Regina unpacks her stuff. She burns Mary Margaret's picture. At the Charming Family's loft, Granny looks after Neal. Emma says goodbye to her bother and leaves. Mr Gold's shop is CLOSED. We see Rumple and Belle having separate and a couples session with Archie. They leave at the end, arms wrapped around the others waist, emotionally drained but all the better for it. Hook gives Emma a cup of coffee and tries to kiss her, but only gets her cheek as Emma turns her head away. Things are still rocky between them**. Will Scarlet collects a breakfast bag and a tray of to-go cups labelled **RG**, **BG**, **WS** and **CS** from Grannys. He meets Belle and Rumple at the library. Emma leaves Hook, who joins Rumple, Belle and Will at the library.)

Sessions with Archie:

Rumple's session Couple's session Belle's session

https://jonny-august.tumblr.com/post/168046877447/once-upon-a-time-season1-19-would-you-like-to

_Storybrooke Public Library_

H: Remind me why he's here again? Because I'm starting to think he's just the thief who brings our food.

W: An' you're only 'ere to get back into your girlfriend's good books. An' you still haven't apologised for taking a swing at me. No cursed hand did that, right Gold?

R: 'Fraid not.

W: Oh and that muffin you're eating? I licked it first.

_Hook puts down his breakfast muffin._

R: He's making up for breaking into Belle's library, vandalizing one of her books, and watering her plants.

H: That's a crime now? Watering plants.

R: He was intoxicated at the time.

W: I got confused, all right? I saw them big plants an' thought I were outside again.

H: And what does he get out of it?

B: Will helps us, we help him reunite with his True Love***.

H: Why don't you just conjure a door and you're home?

W: Time and distance ain't the problem, mate. My heart is... Back in Wonderland, we defeated a sorcerer called Jafar. Being a genie he couldn't kill us, but he found a loophole. He cursed my heart with poison from the Wonderland toadstools. The Curse of the Poisoned Heart means Anastasia and I can't touch each other without me hurting her and her killing me. I can't go back until I break this curse.

B: We'll find a way, Will. I promise. We won't stop until you and Anastasia are together again.

W: (_smiles gratefully_) I appreciate that, Belle. (_to Rumple_) Both of ya. (_to Belle_) Whenever you see someone in trouble, you always stop and pick us up. Bloody hell, I make us sound like stray dogs. Maybe we are.

R: Well you are Scrappy. And if we can't find a cure, we'll just have to hope the Author can cleanse both our hearts.

_Hook storms out. Will tactfully excuses himself to answer the call of nature to give Rumple and Belle a moment._

B: Don't listen to him, Rumple. You are not useless. And we can do this. The two of us can figure this out, however long it takes. There's got to be a way.

R: There's a way...

B: What?

R: There's always been a way.

B:Then... why don't we use it?

R: Because it's dangerous and might cause more problems than it would solve.

B: Tell me.

R: Belle... I haven't used magic in six weeks. I haven't even been brave enough to see if I have lingering or dormant magic. These books are the only magic I've used. But my magic put the fairies in the Hat, and only my magic can release them. What if this is the drop of blood that attracts the sharks? That kick-starts the addiction? What if one spell is all the darkness needs to spread?

B: Are you afraid of your magic?

R: I'm afraid of losing myself. I'm afraid of losing you. I wanted to see if there wasn't another way. But there isn't. I'm sorry. I made us waste all this time.

B: No, Rumple, this is good. You were being cautious. You were making sure whatever we did didn't kill you or hurt me or bring chaos on this town.

R: I don't believe Hook or the others will see it that way.

B: And this is the only way?

R: I'm afraid so. It has to be me.

B: Not necessarily. What if there was a proxy?

R: How do you mean?

B: We still have the dagger. The dagger activates the Hat. If we get someone to stand in your place to enact the spell using the dagger. It's still your magic but no risk to your heart.

R: Belle, that's brilliant.

B: What other risks are there...?

Mayor's Office:

B: We found a spell that can release the fairies.

R: But there are two complications.

E: Only two?

R: My magic placed them in the Hat, so only my magic can undo it. And, as neither of us wants to tempt fate with my heart in a compromised state, we have decided, if she be willing, Regina would consent to stand-in.

E: Whoa, hang on! Why aren't you asking me? I have magic too, you know. Saviour, remember?

R: How could I forget? And whislt you're progressing very well in your magical training, Miss Swan, this requires dark magic. And yours is as light as it gets. And as I am powerless, Regina is the only practitioner in this town who can weild magic of that calibre. (_to Regina_) What say you?

RM: It's not really a choice if I'm the only option, is it?

R: It'll take that as a yes.

E: Okay. But you said there were _two_ complications.

R: The spell Belle translated can release the fairies, but there's no way of _refining_ it.

E: Meaning?

R: That hat has been around this the great Merlin himself. The nuns were not the only fairies placed in that hat. If we enact this spell, _all_ fairies will be released. So you best be prepared for any potential unwelcome, unfriendly new residents.

E: And that's all?

R: The plan has risks, but I do believe we're well equipped in our respective field of expertise's to deal with any horrors that might come through.

_After the Chernabog attack_

E: I was just getting used to things being relaxing around here. Mary Margaret...

MM: I'll get everyone to safety. I'm on that.

E: Thanks. And, Belle -

B: Rumple and I will see if we can find anything about this thing in the library.

R: And find out how a Chernabog found its way into a fairy-releasing spell. 

E: Wow. You guys really have this down.

R: Well, we have been doing this for a while now.

H: And this isn't our first monster bash.

RM: Well, now that that's settled, what say you and I figure out a way to clip this bat's wings before it comes back?  
  


* Heart of Gold reference: just as the Dark One suffers a heart attack in New York, Rumple collapses in Storybrooke. Rumple has horrible visions of Zelena in the hospital.

** After Emma finds out Hook not only knew about the fake dagger but exploited the knowledge at the expense of Belle's happiness rather than tell anyone, the rose-tinted glasses come off.

*** Belle asks Will why he broke into her library and why he ripped out a page of the Red Queen. Knowing her husband and True Love is also an ex-villain, and therefore in a better position to understand, Will tells her the story about him and Anastasia and the curse that's keeping them apart. Belle offers to help.

**Author's Note:**

> Originally I imagined that Will Scarlet got swept up with the second Dark Curse and was fighting desperately to be reunited with Anastasia. But then if they could conjure a magic door to return Elsa and Anna to Arendelle, what's keeping Will stuck in Storybrooke? So by including the Curse of the Poisoned Heart, there's a reason Anastasia isn't in town and gives Will a purpose; an obstacle to overcome if he's to be reunited with his True Love.
> 
> And Scarlet Beauty is strictly FRIENDSHIP in this universe! Rumbelle and Scarlet Queen remain untainted by the evil that is Kitsowitz.
> 
> I didn't like the Author plot. The only events the Author directly interfered with were preventing Cruella killing anyone and forcing the Apprentice to lead the Charmings to kidnapping, corrupting and losing Maleficent's baby. And I suppose in writing Page 23 he created Outlaw Queen. Everything else, everyone did themselves ("there's no Author of my destiny"). Regina blamed the Author for making her evil and everyone indulged her idea through fear that she'll backslide. What was Regina going to make the Author do over the course of S4? Rewrite the storybook (my first impression at the end of 4x01, Regina's version of Zelena's plan)? Write out Marian, which would later turn to writing out Zelena; including Robin's baby? And while it was Isaac who flipped the Heroes and Villains status quo, Rumple's plan would have given both sides an equal chance, not just for Regina, and write out the growing Darkness, which would be everyone's problem.


End file.
